Present Continuous or Present Simple? I’m doing … or … I do … ?
Conclusion !!
Present Continuous & Present Simple: Construction:
Present Continuous: form of ‘be’ and verb + ing
= I am doing, you are doing, he is doing, etc …
Present Simple: subject + infinitive
= I do, you do, we do, you do, they do.
but: He does, she does, it does.
(3rd person singular: infinitive + ‘s’)
Present Continuous: Exceptions when adding ‘ing’ :
-Silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee)
Example: come – coming but: agree – agreeing
-After a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled.
Example: sit – sitting
-After a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in British English (but not in American English).
Example: travel – travelling (British English) but: traveling (American English)
-Final ie becomes y.
Example: lie – lying
Present Simple: Exceptions when adding ‘s’ :
For can, may, might, must, do not add s. => Example: he can, she may, it must
After o, ch, sh or s, add es. => Example: do – he does, wash – she washes
After a consonant, the final consonant y becomes ie. (but: not after a vowel)
Example: worry – he worries
but play – he plays !!
Present Continuous & Present Simple: Uses:
right now? Or In general ? What do you want to express?
Present Continuous: when we use it:
right now: Look! Peter is playing football now.
also for several actions happening at the same time: Peter is playing football, Anne is watching.
Present Simple: when we use it:
in general (regularly, often, never): Peter plays football every Tuesday.
present actions happening one after another: First Peter plays football, then he watches TV
Keywords for Present Continuous and Present Simple:
Keywords with Present Continuous:
=> at the moment, at this moment, today, now, right now, Listen!, Look!,
Keywords with Present Simple:
always, every, often, normally, sometimes, seldom, never, first, then, usually.
Exception: only a Present Simple form: be, have, know, like, love, see, smell, think, want.
Near Future or Timetable-Schedule? Which Present?
Near future? Present Continuous:
I’m going to the cinema tonight.
Timetable, schedule? Present Simple:
The film starts at 8 pm.
limited period of time, or Daily routine?
limited period of time?
=> Present Continuous: Jane is working in a café this week end.
Daily routine:
=> Present Simple: Peter works in a restaurant.
ENGLISH PRESENT :
- 001a: Present Continuous: I am doing
- 001b: Present Continuous: I am doing (2)
- 001c: Present Continuous: I am doing, description (3)
- 002: Present Simple: I do
- 003a: Present Continuous or Present Simple? I’m doing … or … I do … ?
- 003b: Present Continuous or Present Simple? I’m doing or I do ? (2) According verb
- 003c: Present Continuous or Present Simple? I’m doing … or … I do … ? (3)